One shots and Random short Story's

"Taken My Legs"

You ever had to be helped out of bed. No I didn't think so. That's the thing about most people. They never truly appreciate something until it's gone. I was a solider once. I lost my legs in a flash. It was as if I was watching a movie through someone else's eyes. I could still feel my legs attached to me, yet when I glanced down the only thing that I saw at the time was blood soaked stumps.

People keep telling me to be grateful i'm alive. They keep telling me, "be grateful for what the Doctors did for you." they keep telling me that "things will look up". Well i'll ask again. Have you ever been unable to do something because you have no legs. No. well will you all stop telling me to grateful then.

You all have legs. Jacob has legs, my old C.O has his legs. So why in Gods name do you look at me as if I'm a small child wining about my life. You want to know something. I use to love playing snooker with my old mate Jacob. We use to giggle like school kids when the other missed the crustal shoot that would have won them the game. Another time non of us could pot anything because we were both seeing double from the demon drink. Yet it was fun. I made some of the best choices of my life round that old oak table and some of my worst.

I remember the day well. We were both low, nothing but lint in our pockets. You know how it goes. Then we court eye of a flyer haphazardly pined to the board little more then a feet or two from us.

I still remember even to this day what it said. "Your country needs you". Well I need my country. I need help getting out of this massive,dark,void opening up on the inside. I fear it will swole me whole. After all, you can't run from your problems without any legs. I just wish I could hold a snooker cue and actually be able to reach the table. I wish I could walk in the bar without being treated like an invilide.

The worst of it is the false pitty that emanates from almost everyone. Oh lets all feel sorry for the ex army guy. Well you know what hows about you offer me a solution instead of being stuck in a wheelchair.

I am 20 years old and all i can do is wheel around in a chair. What can I do. I need to find something to do before the isolation drives me to insanity just like a caged tiger.

I may sound like a Jealous ungrateful old bag but I garntie you one thing. If anyone of you sat in my place for more than an hour. You would know why I say all this things. After all i learnt the hard way. The human race isn't big on empathy when you've done your bit.

Yes its true I joined the Army knowing the risks. We all did... but doesn't it bover you at all that I list my legs to protect the land of my birth were you all live, oblivious to our pain. Some days it can take me five unbearable minutes to get out of my bed and into my wheelchair.

"Yo max!". What dose Jacob sound so existed about. It better not be another one of those stupid reunion ideas he keeps having. I begrudionly yeild and wheel into the other room to my awaiting best friend. He was sat on the table in his usual nocilonte fassion with a box. next to him

"Whats in the box Jacob, I don't remember ordering anything" I say to him flatly putting the brakes on the chair as I come to a stop a few feet from him......